Dan's Blog

Oh my god, it's my last night here... I'm actually just about ready to go home. I've seen a lot, and taken a million pictures (well actually around 175, but that's still a lot). I hope to have a more detailed account of my trip online in a week or so, keep your eyes peeled. That's all for now, see you all soon.

Hello all... sorry no updates in a few days...I've been busy, and it's been hard to find an Internet cafe. I'm now back in Tokyo, yippy. Only two more full days. I don:t have much planned, but since I still have one more day on my rail pass I might take a day trip tomorrow... So continuing from where I left off. After I typed that last update I went back to the place I was staying and changed rooms, I was staying with this guy George, who snored like a boar, but I changed to a single, cause he left today. After that I went to a sake bar. So cool, It was a small place with only 6 stools, and I tried about 8 kinds of Sake and had some great conversation with the owner from Isrial, and another guy from Germany. I then stagger for an hour on the walk home. Friday, 11/23/01 - Off to Hiroshima. Met this lovely girl, Stacey on the bus ride, she's a stunt-woman at Univeral Studios (the enemy). When arriving in Hiroshima I checked into a fairly nice Ryokan, and then ...

Howdy folks... Have I told you how fun Japanese keyboards are; When you first start using them they are exactly the same, but if you slip while pressing space you switch it to the Japanese character set, if you do that then the next time you look up all you have is a page of scrible... Just thought I'd share that. Plus there are a few keys that are in the wrong place. But anyway. On Monday I went to Nikko, a town about two hours from Tokyo, that has a lot of great shrines. I met a lady in the train station, and ending up walking around with her. The best theing was as we approached the main area with the shrines we were stoped by a guy offering has guiding services. His name, Tada, and like magic we had the key to learning about these cool places. We even saw the carving that was the orign of the Hear No / See No / Speak No Evil Monkeys. On Tuesday I checked out of the New Koyo Hotel and left to come to Kyoto, where I sit now. Wednesday, got a tour guide and saw the s...

Oh the pictures you will see. I can't wait to get some of the pictures I took today online. Today I took it easy and just wandered around Tokyo, but I went to two of the coolest places yet for people watching. First was the Meji Shrine, this is the largest shrine in Tokyo, and is featured in a lot of postcards and other Japanese paraphinilia. I picked a good day to go, because Sundays in November are when families bring their children in full traditional garb to the shrine for blessing and photos. So I took a bunch of photos of and with traditionally dressed people. Next was the even more interesting area of Harajuku. Harajuku is small area at the base of a train station where all the teens and odd folk come to show off and where strange outfits. It:s really hard to describe, basicly take all the freaks of grenich village and have them congregate in one are to show off. It was so cool, there were a bunch of westeners there just taking photos and laughing (to themselves). ...

It's now Sunday, I haven't updated this in a few days because I've been really busy. I have done so much walking it's rediculous. That being said I have seen a lot of great stuff. I went to Tsukiji fish market (like Fultan, but bigger), a cool fountain gargden, Yokohama (second largest city in Japan), Cirque du Solie, Tallest building in Japan, (with fastest elevators in the world), Tokyo Disney Sea (so kicks ass, most amazing Disney Park), Mt. Fuji, a trained monkey show (damn funny), dinner with a crazy Japanese guy, a whole bunch more shrines.... Today I go to Shinjuku. It's an area within Tokyo that is a lot like Times square, but much bigger. Don't worry, I've been writing a lot more in my journal, and I'll write that stuff down when I have more time, and a cheaper internet connection. Bye for now.

Well I've done it, my first full day in Japan. Today was mostly about getting a feel for the place. A lot of walking around, some parks, two of the big museums, Imperial palace (from a distance), Sony building (played with a few cool toys). I've also made a whole bunch of kinda interesting oberservations, but you'll get more of that later. Tomorrow... Cirque du Solie.

Ladies and Gentlemen... I am now in Japan... Yes folks, you read that right, not only am I updating this website for the first time in 6 months, but I'm doing it from Japan no less. Today, well actually yesterday if you count the flight time, I began my latest effort to see this big wonderful world of ours. I write this from an increbibly seedy little hotel on the outscrits of Tokyo. That's all for now, I'm not sure what I'm going to be charged for this Internet time, and I'm still getting used to this whole Yen thing. More later.